NEWSLETTER OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN BIOLOGICAL SURVEY PROGRAM. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, WASHINGTON , D. C . 
JANUARY, 1966 NO 3 
PI 1 7 
; i BARREN ENDERBURY ISLAND 
FOCUS FOR BIOLOGICAL SURVEY 
Enderbury Island in the Phoenix 
group is typical of the South Sea 
Islands on which the Smithsonian In- 
stitution is conducting its exten- 
sive biological survey. Flat, hot, 
dry, and barren to all outward ap- 
pearances, Enderbury hardly fits 
the popular conception of a south 
Sea Island with lush tropical fo- 
liage and grass-skirted girls. 
Approached from the sea, it appears 
as a glaring white strip of sand 
with few distinctive features. 
Upon closer examination a small 
hill of guano may be found on the 
north end while a lighthouse and 
several shacks project from the 
otherwise flat surface of the south 
end. In any case it would hardly 
be considered the ideal vacation 
spot. 
Yet this inhospitable looking 
island is the home of at least 30 
species of insects, l4 species of 
plants, 2 species of reptiles, 13 
species of birds, and is the vaca- 
tion spot for 10 other species of 
birds. Feral populations of the 
Polynesian rat and the common house 
cat were present on Enderbury at 
one time . Both were probably intro- 
duced by man and both are now ex- 
tinct. From time to time in the 
history of this island, it has 
played host to man and even to a 
dog and a mule at one point, but 
for the most part it has remained 
for the birds. 
A mere speck on the Pacific, 
Enderbury Island is only 2 2/3 miles 
long and 1 mile wide. Its nearest 
neighbor, Canton Island, is 35 miles 
to the northwest. 
Situated at 03° o7 ' South lat- 
itude and 171° 05' West longitude. 
Enderbury Island Natl. Geog. Photo. 
